Her royal status certainly did not change the fact that she is an animal lover! Duchess Meghan dedicates her time to helping Mayhew animal welfare center as part of her official duties.
The Duchess of Sussex, 38, announced the organization as one of her four patronages in January. “Her Majesty The Queen has passed on two patronages to The Duchess of Sussex, The National Theatre and The Association of Commonwealth Universities. The Queen has held the roles for 45 and 33 years respectively,” Kensington Palace said in a statement at the time. “Her Royal Highness will also take on Patronage of two additional charities as part of her official working portfolio, Smart Works and Mayhew.”
Mayhew seeks to improve the lives of dogs, cats and the people in its community of London as well as on an international level.
Meghan raved about the organization in the foreword for the Annual Review of Mayhew, released in June. “As a proud rescue dog owner, I know from personal experience the joy that adopting an animal into your home can bring. That role that we, as people, play in rehoming and rescuing these animals is vital, but the role of organisations such as Mayhew is unparalleled,” she wrote. “What initially struck me about Mayhew specifically is their community based approach not simply on rehoming animals, but in the preventive care that inhibits these cats and dogs from ending up in shelters in the first place.”
She added: “From Mayhew’s global education programmes to their community work on a micro level with the elderly, homeless, and vulnerable communities, they actively seek solutions that allow people to stay with their animals and have the support they need to do so.”
Meghan then called on readers to give back however they see fit. “The choice to adopt a pet is a big decision that comes with much responsibility but infinite return on the investment. It will undoubtedly change your life,” she penned. “As Patron of Mayhew, I encourage you to get involved in whatever way you can – either through pet adoption, volunteering, donation, or spreading the word. We are all interconnected and through these animals we find an even greater link to community and the part we can play.”
The former actress made her first official public visit to Mayhew in January. She met privately with volunteers for the charity in the year leading up to her solo engagement.